|

Treasury Bessent: US is launching an "economic onslaught" against Iran's financial connection

United States (US) Treasury Secretary Scotts said on Monday the US is launching "an economic onslaught against Iran's financial connections around the globe". At a press conference, Bessent outlined plans to launch an " economic D-Day" on Iran and stated the United States would pursue a "zero leakage" approach to enforcing its sanctions.

He added that President Donald Trump is personally calling world leaders to press them to cut economic ties with Tehran. Bessent said every country has been given a defined timeline to shut down activities the Treasury has identified, including closing Iran's bank branches abroad. Where governments fail to act, he said, the US would move unilaterally through Treasury authorities. He made clear the pressure extends to the largest economies, stating that no one, including China, is above the reach of US sanctions.

Ahead of Bessent's remarks, the Treasury released a statement on its actions against Iran, which include sanctions on nearly 60 Iran-linked entities, people and vessels. It said the sanctions target a network of broker companies that shadow fleet vessels across the United Arab Emirates, Hong Kong, China, Singapore, Switzerland and Europe.

Bessent said Washington does "not have infinite patience" with Iran, that trying to buy the country's appeasement "will no longer work," and that any economic engagement would expose those responsible to the "full reach of American power." He added that he expects other countries to take similar steps to isolate Tehran.

US Dollar Price Today

The table below shows the percentage change of US Dollar (USD) against listed major currencies today. US Dollar was the strongest against the Canadian Dollar.

USDEURGBPJPYCADAUDNZDCHF
USD0.17%0.11%0.10%0.66%0.36%0.37%0.19%
EUR-0.17%-0.04%-0.06%0.49%0.21%0.26%0.03%
GBP-0.11%0.04%0.00%0.55%0.25%0.31%0.07%
JPY-0.10%0.06%0.00%0.60%0.17%0.26%0.06%
CAD-0.66%-0.49%-0.55%-0.60%-0.38%-0.22%-0.47%
AUD-0.36%-0.21%-0.25%-0.17%0.38%0.07%-0.15%
NZD-0.37%-0.26%-0.31%-0.26%0.22%-0.07%-0.23%
CHF-0.19%-0.03%-0.07%-0.06%0.47%0.15%0.23%

The heat map shows percentage changes of major currencies against each other. The base currency is picked from the left column, while the quote currency is picked from the top row. For example, if you pick the US Dollar from the left column and move along the horizontal line to the Japanese Yen, the percentage change displayed in the box will represent USD (base)/JPY (quote).

Author

Agustin Wazne

Agustin Wazne joined FXStreet as a Junior News Editor, focusing on Commodities and covering Majors.

More from Agustin Wazne
Share:

Editor's Picks

AUD/USD remains offered around 0. 6950

AUD/USD has added to Wednesday’s decline, slipping back to the low 0.6900s just to grab some air afterwards and attempt a tepid bounce toward 0.6950 ahead of the opening bell in Asia on Friday. The Aussie’s extra weakness has come despite the Greenback receding modestly amid fresh improvement in the risk complex.

USD/JPY slips below 158.00 as USD retreats

USD/JPY returns to the red below 158.00 in the Asian session on Thursday amid speculation that authorities will step in to prop up the Japanese Yen. Meanwhile, the US Dollar eases from near an 18-month high on profit taking, ignoring Wednesday's hawkish FOMC Minutes and the risk of a further escalation of tensions in the Middle East, adding to the pair's pullback.

Gold clings to daily gains; still below $4,150

Gold regains some composure and climbs back to the vicinity $4,150 mark per troy ounce amid decent gains on Thursday. The yellow metal’s recovery follows some loss of momentum in the US Dollar strength and a decent drop in US Treasury yields across the curve.

XRP downtrend persists as EMA support strains while Binance reserves swell
Ripple (XRP) sellers are gaining ground on Thursday, as the token slips below $1.40. Sell-side pressure remains intense in the broader crypto market, as seen with leading digital assets, including Bitcoin (BTC) currently below $83,000 and Ethereum (ETH), sliding below $2,600. Despite the correction, XRP retains a constructive technical outlook, with support provided by a key moving average cluster.
Three fundamental drivers are all pushing the Euro south. This chart shows them lining up on 1.1000
EUR/USD has already fallen sharply, but the forces pushing the pair lower are becoming increasingly interconnected. French fiscal concerns, renewed energy pressure and an uncomfortable policy dilemma for the European Central Bank (ECB) are colliding with a US economy that continues to give the Federal Reserve (Fed) little reason to turn dovish.
The UK 30-year gilt just hit a 1998 high. Is that good or bad for the British Pound?
The yield on the UK's 30-year government bond, or gilt, went through 6% on October 1 for the first time since early 1998, and on Monday the Pound was at its strongest against the Euro since June 2025. The gilt market's 28-year high is mostly someone else's. Since early May, the 30-year gilt yield has risen about 0.15 of a percentage point and the US 30-year about 0.7.